Harmful Algal Bloom Task Force identified need for better communications with the public
As part of an ongoing educational effort involving red tide research, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) recently created an animated video about red tide in Florida’s marine and estuarine waters, the Institute has announced.
This video, which is intended for residents and visitors alike, covers three primary topics, a news release explains:
- “What is red tide?
- “Is red tide dangerous to humans?
- “How do we track red tide?”
Available as a single video or as three shorter standalone videos focused on each topic, “these easy-to-access resources can be readily shared to help provide critical education leading up to and during red tide events,” the release points out.
“The video is intended for a variety of audiences, from vacationers with little knowledge of red tide to long-time residents who wish to know more about the phenomenon and how it’s tracked,” the release adds.
“Historically, red tide shows up during summer or fall on the Gulf Coast of Florida, so it’s important for citizens to stay aware and educated,” Katherine Hubbard, FWC’s director of the Center for Red Tide Research, said in the release.
In 2020, in its first consensus document, the reactivated Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Task Force “identified a need for communication efforts to better educate the public about red tide and other HABs,” the release continues. In response, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s HAB Grants program funded the Developing a Communications Strategy for Red Tide in Florida study, which was conducted by Florida Sea Grant, and an HAB communication working group was formed, the release notes. “This video was created, in part, to address some of the group’s recommendations,” the release says.
Links to the videos are available as follows:
For more information on red tide, visit Florida: MyFWC.com/redtide. To see the current status of red tide in Florida, visit the link above and click on “Red Tide Current Status,” the release notes.